Vehicles

I love this age for Caleb (and Micah is pretty stinkin awesome in his own adorable, snuggly phase).  Some of my favorite times are actually when we are in transit from one place to the next.  Chris and I were headed to a party the other night, sans kids (a rarity) and he said "look train". We both chuckled.  And Chris mentioned how he also loves being in the car with Caleb.  I don't think he will remember these moments but they are precious to us.  I have mentioned before that Caleb loves to look at all the different types of vehicles while in the car.  Sometimes I forget and I hear this sweet small voice from the back seat say "bucket truck or concrete mixer or dump truck or digger or tow truck or fire engine or train or big truck or motorcycle or Uncle Ry Ry's car or dad's car or papa's car or g-daddy's car ..."  It amazes me that he knows the different names and that he can distinguish between cars.  The other day we were driving through a parking lot and he spotted his daddy's  car and pointed it out and he was right.

I really do enjoy our time in the car I will drive the long way because I know we are more likely to see a train.  I have never enjoyed construction traffic but now I love it.  I see the orange barrels and I get excited because I know Caleb will love it.   Lucky for us there is currently a bunch of construction not far from our house.

This time of year there are tons of bucket trucks out, it is awesome.  Here is a typical conversation:
Me:  Look Caleb a bucket truck
Caleb:  Find more bucket trucks
Me:  I'll try
Caleb: Keep eye open for more bucket trucks?
Me: Okay I'll keep my eyes open

You may be wondering how he learned all the different names, mostly due to 2 of his favorite books.

a gift from our friend Anna

His favorite and slightly annoying to read over and over again as it is so simple, but he actually knows most of the book

What a busy time of year

Sorry for the delay in updating you guys on how Caleb is doing.  I keep composing wonderful blogs in my head and forgetting to actually write and post them.  During late night (or early morning) feedings I usually mentally write blogs and pray for friends and family.  It helps me stay awake.

Okay so here goes with an update on the Mardis clan and a bunch of pictures.

 My very kind Aunt mailed me my keys and they play mat.  And yes I now have a large key fob on there so that I won't lose them.  Well it is working most of the time.

This is my new favorite picture of the boys. You can really see how much they resemble each other.   And that Micah is turning into more of himself (think less a carbon copy of his bro).

 I love the comparison.  Look how much they change in just 4 months.

So how is Caleb's studdering going?   Much much much better.  Every once in a while he will studder but that is maybe once every two days.  It seems that it is just a developmental stage.  I think he was so excited at Thanksgiving to be around all his cousins (most older than him) and trying to keep up with them.  It is as if his mind is racing so fast that he can't spit out his words.

It is so stressful when a little one is sick.  I would like to say that I am much better at handling sickness but this weekend proved nope I am still a nervous wreck when I think something is wrong.  I called the doc on Thursday and they were full for the day but told me I could go to urgent care.  So I packed us all up (at dinner time no less) and headed to urgent care, oh yeah which is next to the mall and it is december, not sure what I was thinking. We get there and wait for 20 minutes till they call us to check in.  At which time I discovered our copay is way more at urgent care then at the doctor, which sadly I did not know  b/c we just changed insurance.  So we left and went home.  Friday we went to the doctor and he said they both have colds.  That is what I call $30 for peace of mind.  But then on Saturday we were in the car on the way to an event at church and Micah spits up (which he never does) but upon closer review it was actually vomit. Yuck.  This occured three more times that night.  So we stay home from church.  Everything is going marvelously Micah is happy and smiley and napping.  I'm doing laundry and other household stuff I had put off. But after nap it starts all over again.  Call the doctor and decide to go to urgent care, luckily this time I only had one kid.  Side note: I'm at urgent care go to sit down and find a place to nurse Micah and I sit down next to one of my former students.  So weird to see a High School senior at children's urgent care.  Don't worry I moved before nursing.  Okay so long story short the doctor said it was just a bug and will pass in a couple of days.  He did think I was a bit crazy as he asked how much he eats during a feeding and I said "I don't know he is breast fed".  Yeah I over reacted a bit but now I feel better.

 Memaw came over to watch to boys so I could go to Choir practice.  Thanks Memaw

 2 of Micah's loves in one picture.  His johnny jump up and his Sofie giraffe.  This boy loves to be up right and loves to chew on everything.

 See he has the drool to prove his love of chewing.   Do you think his eyes will stay blue?

This picture made me think of one of Caleb, except I think C is 5 months in the red and M was 4 months in the yellow. 

 One of our new favorites is to play with the cars on the floor.  We try to race but he doesn't quite understand the concept so we usually just let the cars go boom (meaning run into each other).  The other day we tried to explain that it is really bad when real cars go boom  that we call it an accident and people can get hurt.

 I love watching them play together.

Caleb and I were playing together one lazy morning while Micah slept in.  Fun memories.

 So sometimes Caleb gets a little rough.  The other day I had to punish him for how rough he was and I said ouch that hurt. The sweet boy walked up to me kissed the booboo and said I'm sorry mommy.  All without prompting.  Melts my heart.

 I made red velvet whoopie pies for Uncle Ry Ry's birthday. They were fun to make but evidently not as awesome as i thought b/c I still had lots left to take home that night.

 Mmm cream cheese icing.

 Finished product complete with a little hand trying to grab one.  It is hard to tell a 2 yr old he has to wait till the next day to eat them.

We bought the boys the Fisher price little people nativity.  I love it b/c Caleb plays with it and we get to talk more about baby Jesus.

 I was doing something in the kitchen and I look over and this is what Caleb had done.  He loves to line things up it still surprises me.

 This is Mary and Joseph or as we call them Jesus' mommy and daddy.  If everyone is in the same room together Caleb will bring me Mary and Chris Joseph.  It is so cute.

Sweet Micah ready to go to church for our biblestudy and cookie swap.

 Here is Caleb (I think he might be 3 months maybe 4) in the same outfit. 

Me and my boys.  Yep I finally got a hair cut. Now if I could just style it.  I love our smiles here, all so genuine.

back tracking in speech skills

For thanksgiving we had a wonderful time with lots of family.  Before I joined the family every Thanksgiving was celebrated with Chris' mom's family.  Since it had been a long time we all decided to get together this year (minus a few cousins and one aunt and uncle who were sick).  It was a wonderful trip until Chris and I noticed that Caleb was stuttering.  On Friday he was fine but on Saturday he would stutter.  Not every word and not every phrase but often enough to worry that something was wrong.  So we went to the ER where we learned nothing, other than a CT scan on someone so young can have harsh side effects as an adult, lower IQ and linked to adult cancer.  But the doctor said he wasn't showing signs of a serious brain injury.  Today our pediatrician said not to worry too much but to watch it and let him know if it worsens.  Lots of internet research revealed that this is not an unusual (I hate to say normal) developmental stage that will most likely go away in a month or so.  However that doesn't stop me from worrying, and I'm not a worrier. 

I think of my son as a bright kid. He has a large vocabulary, understands almost everything I say and puts together words to form a sentence.  So when I hear my bright boy start to stutter and have difficulty spitting out what he could say in less then a second the day before it breaks my heart.  I know he is still the same bright boy but I couldn't help but think that people will look at him differently now.  Today he was trying to say 'Mommy open this' but he got stuck on open and gave up.  This from the kid that repeats the same phrase over and over again, louder and louder until you acknowledge him.  It makes me so sad.  I am trusting in the Lord that this is just a phase.  I'm praying about it and speaking a bit slower to help him out.  

Last night my mind was racing with what his life will be like if this never goes away.  Will kids make fun of him?  Will he talk less?  Do I tell all of his teacher or the nursery workers?  You know the things that moms worry about.  And when you start down that path of worrying about the near and distant future it is an all consuming worry.  So I will worry no more and pray instead. 

Left Behind

No I have not read the book series of that title, although we do now own those books so maybe.  But I thought I would provide you with a list of items that I left in North Carolina.  Micah's play mat and Caleb's medicine.  Both important items that get daily use.  But here is the best one.  I left my keys.  Yeah you heard me right, I left my keys.  The only good news is that I discovered this fact while on the way home and not after Chris had left for the morning and I went to go to the doctor (more on the doctor trip later).  So if you are keeping a running tally of how  many times I have lost my keys (not inside my house) we are at 3.  At least this time I knew exactly where they were.  Oh one day I will get my brain back

4 months old

Can you believe it.  Micah is 4 months old.  It is about time that I had a post about only him.  Which I must admit is a bit harder since most of my time is spent with both boys, I don't have as many memories of just Micah.  But I have had a few days in the past two weeks where it was just Micah and I for the day (or a few hours) and I must admit I feel like I can conquer the world with only one child.  This is a stark difference from how I felt going places with Caleb, lets just say I was overwhelmed.

I couldn't decide on just one.  I know the lighting is awful but the subject is delightful.

If I was going to describe Micah in one word it would be sweet.  I can't talk about him without using the word sweet.  He is such an easy going and well sweet baby.  This has been true every day except the day I realized he was sick.  I took both boys to the doctor last week to discover that big brother had strep (again) and Micah tested negative but my mommy sense said he is still sick.  I kept probing the doctor for what could be wrong and she gave me a prescription for an antibiotic just in case.  I reluctantly filled the prescription and was waiting trying not to give it to him, since he was not officially diagnosed with anything.  But after a day of disasters (both boys sick, Micah crying inconsolably for hours and the garbage disposal backing up and a mini flood in the kitchen) I gave him the medicine.  Within an hour he was back to his sweet self. 

I won't have the official stats til his doc apt in early December but he is 14 lbs and some change.   A nice big healthy boy.

Lets see what is new.  He has the cutest giggle.  His smile lights up his whole little face.  He is way more smiley than his brother was at this age, which is so much fun.  Maybe that is because his mommy smiles more and is much less stressed out.  He is very alert right now and follows me and my voice where ever I am.

He has mastered rolling from his back to his stomach and will occasionally roll from his stomach to his back.  All this rolling action has cause some restless nights.  Poor guy has taken a while to adjust to liking being on his stomach and would roll over and wake himself up at night.  He still does it a few times a week. He is getting good at laying on his stomach and lifting his head up, arching his back and taking in the sights of the room.

Max is not so happy about his picture.

He is so alert now.  His eyes will survey the room until he finds something interesting.  Oh and he grabs stuff to play, or gnaw on.  I think the poor guy is teething with all the drooling and gnawing.  I should get him a Sophie giraffe. 

Micah started sleeping through the night very early, but has had a rough couple of weeks. Lots of things were causing him to wake up around 3.  But if i fed him he went quickly back to sleep until morning.  Not  a big deal but is startling when your body readjusted to a full night of uninterrupted sleep.  I think I am going to have to let him cry it out for a few nights to get him back to sleeping for 12 hours uninterrupted.  I'm just not ready yet.  That sounds so weird to say. I was so desperate for little man to sleep that I was willing to try anything.  But with Micah I am okay with taking the hit on sleep for the moment.  I know letting him learn to sleep without needing my comforting is a good thing in the long run.  I know that he is waking up in the middle of the night, is startled and thus starts to cry.  I know that it is a valuable skill for him to learn how to fall back asleep on his own.  But for some reason, I'm just not ready for that "battle" yet.  I am going to wait till after Thanksgiving to start that one.  We are still swaddling but he is too big for the swaddler and I don't want to buy a bigger size so we are being a bit inventive to make it work.

It looks like Micah is going to be a thumb sucker like his big brother.  Except Micah has found his left thumb, big bro uses his right.  Does this mean Micah will be left handed like his daddy?  Yet to be determined but I'm holding out hope for him.

Micah is quite a talker.  He babbles, well it is really more of a loud coo, when he is playing.  He talks the most in the mornings, like his mommy.  I wake up ready to talk but his daddy is not so much a morning person.  At least I know someone will chat with me while I fix breakfast, I'm invisioning five years from now on a Saturday morning.

He is a smiley baby.  I know I already said that one but I feel the need to say it again. I was enjoying watching look around the room at everything this morning.  We had a little party on the floor everyone laying down, even Max the dog.  Micah would look from one person (or dog) to the next and just smile and coo.  So very very sweet.  See I told you it is impossible to talk about him without using the word sweet.

He eats every 3 hours.  Always has been a good eater.  There is a bit of ambiguity with breast feeding as to whether or not your child is getting enough.  You can't quantify how much they eat, only how long they eat.  But each child is different so you can't compare how long one child takes to eat to the other and say one is more healthy than the other.  Some children are efficient and quick eaters, others take their time enjoying the comfort of mommy.  I started to get a bit concerned about this the other day (note: I'm not a worrier so I was a bit alarmed when my mind is racing as to whether or not my child was healthy) then I remembered he was 90% at his 2 month check up and when we went to the doc for his sick check up he had gained weight.  So he is doing well and all is still fabulous on the nursing front.  I really enjoy nursing him because that is the time when it is just he and I.  Micah doesn't get my undivided attention as often as his brother.  So I treasure that time.  And when Micah is done he usually looks up at me and grins (sometimes with milk dripping out the corners of his mouth).  Just precious.

I would love to tell you that he is on a consistent schedule and that we do these things at this time, but that isn't true.  I am a very routine person but I like to change it up from day to day.  If we are at home for the morning then he eats 2 hours after waking, then naps for 2 to 3 hours, eats and plays for 2 to 3 hours, then naps for 1 to 2 hours, eats and plays, eats again keeps playing, bath time, eats and goes to bed at 7:30. I usually put big brother to bed first so that I can have time alone with Micah and not feel rushed.  But I think Micah would actually prefer to go to be at 7.  I may try to switch up who goes to bed first.  The only problem is big brother is super loud at this time of night and can get super clingy so it is easy to get him contained and in bed then give Micah my undivided attention.  If we are out and about in the morning his morning nap is much shorter and he falls asleep in the car every time, then his afternoon nap is 2 to 3 hours with bedtime remaining the same.

It is really a treat for me to see how Micah adores his brother.  How he watches him play and enjoys the adoration and kisses from his brother.  Sometimes a bit to rough to display love but Micah rarely cries over these strong hugs.  I think they will be good friends, and I hope it lasts through the teenage years.

Micah is starting to look more and more like himself.  You can tell he is a Mardis but he doesn't look exactly like his brother anymore.  And he has his own personality, if that is not obvious by now from all the previous stuff I have said.  I am excited to watch him grow and develop into his own little person. 

Elmo and a little cow

Trick or Treating was a big hit with Elmo.  Totally unexpected. After the second house he had the routine down pat.  There was a group of big kids ahead of us and I think he was trying to keep up with them.  He ran from house to house with Chris in tow holding his bucket (which is an Elmo face bucket).  He even knew to say trick or treat.   45 minutes after his bedtime we called it quits and had to tear him away.  Next year is going to be so much fun.

my sweet little cow.  I didn't like any of the 0-6 month costumes so I bought a 6-12 month one. A bit shocking that it wasn't as huge as I thought it would be.

There's Elmo, a bit tight but he stayed warm.

This was my view for most of the night.  You might notice a change in lightness from us leaving the house to this picture.  That is because we went to a neighborhood pizza party before trick or treating.

Me and my cow.  Don't mind santa in the background.  One of these days I will crop and edit picture before I post them.

2 years old

This post is a bit delayed because poor Caleb got strep.  I didn't even realize he was sick, it was discovered during his 2 year appointment. 

I thought I would share some fun facts about Caleb and some reminiscing pictures.

Weight:  25 lbs (15% ) - he dropped from 25% at the last appointment
Height:  34 in (50 %)

~  today I asked him where Percy (the small green train from Thomas and Friends) was and he responded "I don't know".  What?  My boy responded with the correct multiple words phrase.  He is growing up

~ He is very into directional phrases currently, such as: right there, over there, that way, this way, etc

~ He runs everywhere and climbs everything

~ Is such a sweet big brother.  Constantly kisses and hugs his brother, lays down next to him and imitates him

~ still loves trains, cars, construction vehicles, chainsaws,

~ He talks constantly in the car.  He can spot a train or a dump truck or a bucket truck or a school bus or a digger before I can.

~ he is a picky eater, which is so frustrating but will always eat Pizza.

~  He is stubborn and strong willed, always has been.

~ Lately he enjoys hugging Max and if he can catch him lying down he likes to sit on him and bounce.  Max doesn't so much like this so he runs away as soon as he gets a chance.

~ When he finds something funny he does it over and over and over again.  Or if you do something he thinks is funny he wants you to do it over and over again.  He will try to recreate the same thing again the next day. He has a joke he thinks is so funny, he takes his napkin and hides it then asks you where his napkin is after a while of searching he pulls it out and declares "Nackuk"!  Or at the doctors office the other day we were reading a book about baby faces and I acted out the surprised face.  So now when he taps you on the shoulder he is hoping for a big surprise face.

~ He has learned about tickling.  He will walk up to you and say tickle tickle and laugh so hard.  He even does it to Micah.  Oh and he loves being tickled the most during diaper changes. Silly boy.

~ He says a lot of words, more and more each day.  Lately, he has been repeating what he hears on tv.  This is why we only watch cartoons on PBS when he is awake, but I try to limit this to times when I need him to occupied such as I'm fixing dinner or he woke up really early and I'm exhausted.  Okay back to the vocabulary he says a lot but I am the only one that understands him.  This is because he does not pronounce things correctly.  Here is a list of commonly mispronounced words.

water - "riter" (used to sound like bottle but this week he decided to change it up)
napkin - "nakuk"
lay down - "yay yown"
nutrigrain bar - "nuti badidididid"
light - "yight"

i have run out of steam for comments. enjoy the pis from the last 2 years